Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest Instagram

Samoa Islands Key Travel Information

Alyssa Ramos

Search

samoa island travel info mylifesamovie.com

If you’re looking for a true hidden gem and bucketlist destination, use my Samoa Islands key travel information to book this trip!

Not to be confused with American Samoa which is just next door, independent Samoa is not Westernized, which allows it to retain its cultural charm. Similar in appearance to Hawaii, yet lacking the heavy touristic presence, Samoa Islands is sure to impress, especially when you see the famous Samoa Trench!

So here’s some key travel information to get you started, but please check out my extensive itinerary for a travel planning guide!

General Info About Samoa Islands

Samoa Islands map mylifesamovie.com

Where is Samoa Islands: In the South Pacific Ocean, 3.5 hours from New Zealand, 9 hours from Los Angeles

How to get there: Your best bet is booking a flight to Auckland then connecting to Samoa

Visa Info: None required but you MUST show proof of an ongoing flight OUT of New Zealand if you fly there before or after.

Language: Samoan and English (everyone speaks English)

Key Phrases to Know: “Talofa” pronounced “tah-low-far”: Hello

People: Samoan, some New Zealand

Population: About 197,000

Religion: Christian, some Methodist, Catholic, and Mormon 

    NOTE! Many shops/restaurants are not open Sundays due to religious observance and alcohol is not sold either!

Currency: Tala

Exchange Rate: 1 USD = 2.64 WST

Typical Costs

samoa islands key travel information mylifesamovie.com

Tipping: Not expected but always appreciated

Average Costs: $5-20 Tala to visit waterfalls, $20-50 Tala to rent beach falas, $10-17 Tala for wine, $10-50 tala for food

Groceries/Alcohol: If you’re trying to save money on eating/drinking out, you can go to one of the many grocery markets in Apia. We went to Trader Jack’s and it had a pretty decent wine selection, as well as most of your typical groceries.

Where to Stay

Areas to stay in: There are two islands, Upolo and Savai’i, with Upolo being the more popular one although locals will insist you check out Savai’i!

I only had time to do Upolo (and it took a week) so I can only give info for there. Apia is the main town in Upolo, but there isn’t much nature to see there. On the contrary, if you stay somewhere more South, there’s beautiful nature, but not many stores or restaurants.

I stayed outside of Apia the whole time and loved it, but also had a restaurant/bar onsite of where I was staying.

Upolo Samoa Islands map mylifesamovie.com

Where I stayed:  Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa: This was probably the nicest place I got to stay at (full disclosure, it was sponsored!) and definitely worth splurging on if you’re looking for luxury or a romantic escape. The food was exquisite and rooms were five star, and the entire property just made me feel like I was fully emerged in nature.

   samoa islands key travel information mylifesamovie.com

I also really loved the fact that you could see and swim with turtles every day! They come during high tide to eat the sea grass just off the shore of Coconuts, and you can watch them from a deck above, or use the free snorkel equipment to swim with them!

Saletoga Sands: This place seemed to be popular for younger groups of people and families. It has some budget-level options as well as private cabanas.

samoa island 7 day itinerary mylifesamovie.com
This pic was for a sponsored post with an underwear brand, I swear I’m not trying to show you pics of me in my undies haha

We also found a pretty cool Treehouse Airbnb in the middle of the island! It was really cool and cozy, but we definitely got a little stir crazy at night when there wasn’t much to do and nothing else around!

How to Get Around

samoa islands key travel information mylifesamovie.com
We rented a car to get around to all the various waterfalls and sights

How to get around: Rent a car to get the most out of your visit! You can explore on your own using my in-depth 6 Day Samoa Self Tour Itinerary, rather than paying a lot more for a tour and being on someone else’s schedule. Cars cost around $40 USD per day and you can pick up and drop off at the airport.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to drive on the left side of the road (and the driver’s seat is on the right side of the vehicle!). Drive no faster than 50km max on the island, and be careful with gravel or wet roads.

CAUTION: There are many animals and people who walk/congregate on the sides of the road! Slow down when approaching them, and try to stay towards the center of the road if there’s no oncoming cars. Also, locals tend to always drive in the middle of the road until they approach you, kind of like a game of Chicken…you’re always better off just moving over for them to pass you.

Also — EVERYONE waves, so be sure to wave at everyone you pass 🙂

Other Useful Information for Samoa Islands

samoa islands key travel information mylifesamovie.com


Signature food to try: ALLLLLLL the raw fish! From regular Sashimi to the local favorite called Oka, which is diced tuna in coconut milk!

Safety: Samoa is extremely safe. The only cautions I have are with driving, and making sure you’re smart when it comes to playing in waterfalls or near cliffs! There’s a lot of very tall waterfalls that have no one guarding them or restricting access! Don’t be reckless with going too close to the edge or jumping off! I always recommend travel insurance as well (coming from the girl who has flipped in two vehicles abroad!)

Pests and Predators: Tons of mosquitos! There’s a few other scary looking bugs but they won’t harm you unless you mess with them. There’s also a lot of dogs, and a good chance one will run up to you at some point but don’t be afraid! They’re mostly all friendly!

Top Highlights to See on Upolo

samoa islands key travel information mylifesamovie.com

Here’s a brief list of all the spots I went to that I would deem visit-worthy! You can get full details on all of them on my 7 Day Samoa Self Tour Itinerary!

  • To Sua Ocean Trench
  • Togiogiga Waterfall
  • Vavau Beach
  • Sliding Rocks Waterfall
  • Lalomanu Beach
  • Turtle Snorkeling at Coconut’s
  • FiaFia Show at Sliema
  • Fuipisia Falls
  • Togiogiga Falls
  • Apia Craft and Food Market
  • Live Music and Dinner

travel gear for here

Key Items to Bring: To be completely honest, I didn’t pack much for this week-long trip, and ended up only wearing about three outfits (but A LOT of swim suits). So this list is comprised of the items I actually used, and also ones I ended up needing to buy!

  • Mineral Based Sunscreen
  • Insect Repellent
  • Quick Dry Towel
  • Waterproof Sandals
  • Swimsuits
  • Cover Ups
  • Sunglasses
  • Hats
  • Travel Backpack
  • Spare Batteries
  • Universal Adapter 
  • Moisturizing Hair Conditioner
  • Healing/Repairing Skin Cream or Oil
  • GoPro
  • Selfie Stick
  • Drone
  • Sony
If you're thinking of making the bucketlist trip to Samoa Islands, here is all of the key travel information to get there! From currency and what costs are like in Samoa Islands, to best ways to get around the island and where to stay!

Search

Alyssa Ramos is one of the first original travel blogger/influencers who helped normalize solo female travel. She’s been to 146 countries so far, plus Antarctica 4x, and all of her tips are on this blog!

@mylifesatravelmovie
Alyssa Ramos | Most Traveled Women

@mylifesatravelmovie

One of the World’s Most Traveled Women 146 countries (solo, so far) • 7 Continents Expert • Activist • Entrepreneur GroupTrips: @mylifesatraveltribe
  • Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry.

I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand.

I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so…

Allow me to re-introduce myself.

I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media!

I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work.

Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!)

I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going.

Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world.

So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year.

Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips.

Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new!

To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
  • Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry.

I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand.

I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so…

Allow me to re-introduce myself.

I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media!

I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work.

Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!)

I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going.

Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world.

So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year.

Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips.

Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new!

To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
  • I thought I was going to shipwreck trying to get to an existing shipwreck in the Solomon Islands…and I was traveling solo with just a fisherman driving me on his small boat. 😳

But! We made it, even with a massive storm approaching, and I experienced one of the most incredible “my life’s a travel movie” moments in my 12 years of continuous solo traveling!!

I truly felt like I was in a movie! The ship is an old cruise ship that hit rocks and slowly sank as it washed ashore on Roderick’s Bay. It’s only half sunk, so you can swim around it (it’s super creepy and dangerous, don’t do it alone), and since it’s completely unregulated, you can also climb it and zip line into the water (also dangerous, can’t recommend)

The angle of the ship also created one of the most vibrant marine sanctuaries I’ve seen in a while, with lots of actual colorful coral and fish (including clown fish!)

I went to Solomon Islands after my second trip to Papua New Guinea, on my quest to slow solo travel to every country in the world.

Would I go back to the shipwreck? Probably not. That boat ride was terrifying. But I’d go back to see more of the islands in the Solomon’s, there’s so many!

Would you brave the ride to get to this shipwreck?

For any fellow extreme adventurers, my Solomon Islands travel tips and itinerary is on my website linked in bio!

———————-

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers  in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • D. R. Congo and Silverback Gorillas both have reputations for being extremely dangerous, and that’s true, to an extent. But hear me out.

First a disclaimer: I am one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world, and I also have a degree in Animal Science plus extensive experience with wild animals. All of my animal encounters are ethical, researched, and done with professionals. My goal is to promote responsible animal tourism that actually benefits and protects the animals, Don’t try to do any of them on your own!

Ok so the Mountain Gorillas! Yes, they can be extremely dangerous! However, many of them have been socialized, and are therefore accepting of human visitors (and very curious)

Gorilla trekking tourism is what protects these beautiful animals, because it generates more money to have them alive, so it forces the govs and other orgs to implement strict rules and anti-poaching efforts!

In fact, these gorillas were almost poached to extinction before trekking became popular, and now most of the trackers (people paid to find the gorillas to trek to) are former poachers! 

I’ve gone gorilla trekking 5 times and it’s always a safe and beautiful experience (the trek is difficult though and can be up to 8 hours through thick jungle)

Now about D.R. Congo…. Shortly after my first solo travels there, Virunga National Park closed and remains closed due to armed conflict with rebel groups..:

I still went to visit Goma several more times, and I truly love Congo, but I will be waiting with anticipation for the safety to increase, because the gorillas in DRC were my top favorite see! 

For more info on DRC or the other 150 countries I’ve traveled solo to, please check out my blog linked in bio!

———-

Please follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for more extreme adventures with purpose 💖

#alyssaramostravels #mylifeisatravelmovie #mylifeisatravelmovie
  • I have a “bucketlist tattoo” that I add to when I complete a major bucketlist check! This one was a double check: seeing a wild Polar Bear and reaching my farthest latitude north (so far): 82 degrees North!

For reference, the geographic North Pole is at 90 degrees North, so we were very close to it! Maybe one day I’ll reach it!

There’s only one tattoo shop in Longyearbyen, therefore it’s officially the northernmost tattoo shop! And I also have tattoos from the Southernmost tattoo shop in Ushuaia for my 4 trips to Antarctica!

Anyone else have cool tattoos?

——————-

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • This is my 3rd year being an American living on a vineyard in Italy (married the owner!) and I def have a lot of tea/wine to spill about it 😂

People have this dreamy or glamorous “Emily in Rome”-esque idea about traveling to Italy, falling in love, preferably with someone who owns a vineyard, and living happily ever after…well I did that, and it can be a bit more “difficile vita” than “dolce vita” at times!

Shall I give the full interview for the “real Netflix documentary about an American living in Italy”?? 😂
  • I’ve swam with Orcas, a crocodile, and my for-fun hobby is shark diving, but I draw the line at poisonous swimming snakes. 🙅‍♀️🐍 It really just came up to me like that when I was sitting on the beach on an island in New Caledonia! 

I had been contemplating going swimming with the turtles nearby, but changed my mind after I saw this!

This was a “Blake-banded Sea Krait”, common to this area in the South Pacific Islands, I’ve heard several divers say they’ve seen them! But no thanks, I prefer sharks. 😂

Animal safety tip: as an experienced animal encounteress, i never ever suggest provoking or trying to “fight off” any dangerous animal that isn’t actively trying to attack you. Stay calm and still and let it pass like I did in this video. Then, feel free to run. (Jk I’d still suggest carefully and slowly backing a way, keeping an eye on it).

What would you do if you saw a swimming snake?!

——————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the very first travel “influencers” and now one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations (and animals). Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
  • Yes, that is a real, wild Crocodile. Yes, I swam with him (several times) Would you dare?

This is Panchito the Crocodile, he lives alone in Casa Cenote which is close to Tulum. Crocs are not commonly found in cenotes (pronounced “seh-note-ay” and are deep fresh water reserves throughout the Yucatán peninsula ) and no one is really sure how he got there.

Panchito is allegedly “friendly”, but it’s more like “unbothered until provoked”.

Recently for the first time ever Panchito attacked a swimmer because some unintelligent people were throwing rocks at him to try to provoke a reaction for a video 😡

Even this last time when I was there, while I was freediving in the cenote, other tourists were loud and slashing at Panchito, causing him to interrupt his tanning session, jump into the water, and dive under the mangroves until the people were gone (I watched all of it and was honestly a bit scared when he came swimming towards me underwater).

Anyway! If you want a unique wildlife experience, check out Casa Cenote but do not disturb Panchito!!! Or any wildlife! Animal karma is real!

I live in Tulum half-time and have lots of posts and tips about it and also this cenote, all on my website along with tips for over 140 countries - MyLifesAMovie.com

—————————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry. I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand. I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so… Allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media! I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work. Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!) I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going. Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world. So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year. Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips. Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new! To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
Before the term “influencer” or “content creator” existed, I was one of the original travel bloggers, unknowingly helping pioneer what is now a multibillion dollar Creator Industry. I helped transform solo female travel from taboo to trendy, and taught thousands of people how to work remotely and build a brand. I’ve done so much more than just create content, although hardly anyone sees the behind the scenes. And it’s been 14 years that I’ve owned the title of travel bloggers/influencer so… Allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Alyssa Ramos, the founder of My Life’s a Travel Movie brand, one of the very first travel “influencers” and one of the pioneers of the creator industry, of normalizing solo female travel today, of influencer-hosted group trips, and of getting paid to travel via social media! I started my blog in 2012, then started using social media to promote it in 2014, earning me the title of “influencer”but what was never fully seen was the entrepreneur behind it who helped create an entire new industry with no money and when hardly anyone believed it would work. Soon after I became one of the first travel blogger/influencers to make a full time living from it, I was asked to speak at conferences, interviewed in the press, and I was one of the very first people to make the courses about how it’s done (they didn’t exist when I started!) I had a big dream to get paid to travel the world, and to normalize solo female travel, and once I succeeded, I kept going. Today I am not only a travel influencer, but also a humanitarian, animal activist, a trailblazer, an author, speaker, writer, entrepreneur and…one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world. So far I’ve been to over 150 countries (off the 197 list), all 7 continents (Antarctica 4x), and I average 20 countries per year. Now I’m going bigger. I’m launching a travel show, more speaker events, writing another book, and I’ve started the Travel Tribe Foundation to give back through my group trips. Thank you everyone who has been here with me for so long, and welcome to anyone new! To follow along with my updates, please comment “travel
4 days ago
885196
View on Instagram |
2/9
I thought I was going to shipwreck trying to get to an existing shipwreck in the Solomon Islands…and I was traveling solo with just a fisherman driving me on his small boat. 😳 But! We made it, even with a massive storm approaching, and I experienced one of the most incredible “my life’s a travel movie” moments in my 12 years of continuous solo traveling!! I truly felt like I was in a movie! The ship is an old cruise ship that hit rocks and slowly sank as it washed ashore on Roderick’s Bay. It’s only half sunk, so you can swim around it (it’s super creepy and dangerous, don’t do it alone), and since it’s completely unregulated, you can also climb it and zip line into the water (also dangerous, can’t recommend) The angle of the ship also created one of the most vibrant marine sanctuaries I’ve seen in a while, with lots of actual colorful coral and fish (including clown fish!) I went to Solomon Islands after my second trip to Papua New Guinea, on my quest to slow solo travel to every country in the world. Would I go back to the shipwreck? Probably not. That boat ride was terrifying. But I’d go back to see more of the islands in the Solomon’s, there’s so many! Would you brave the ride to get to this shipwreck? For any fellow extreme adventurers, my Solomon Islands travel tips and itinerary is on my website linked in bio! ———————- For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
6 days ago
32
View on Instagram |
3/9
D. R. Congo and Silverback Gorillas both have reputations for being extremely dangerous, and that’s true, to an extent. But hear me out. First a disclaimer: I am one of the most experienced solo female travelers in the world, and I also have a degree in Animal Science plus extensive experience with wild animals. All of my animal encounters are ethical, researched, and done with professionals. My goal is to promote responsible animal tourism that actually benefits and protects the animals, Don’t try to do any of them on your own! Ok so the Mountain Gorillas! Yes, they can be extremely dangerous! However, many of them have been socialized, and are therefore accepting of human visitors (and very curious) Gorilla trekking tourism is what protects these beautiful animals, because it generates more money to have them alive, so it forces the govs and other orgs to implement strict rules and anti-poaching efforts! In fact, these gorillas were almost poached to extinction before trekking became popular, and now most of the trackers (people paid to find the gorillas to trek to) are former poachers! I’ve gone gorilla trekking 5 times and it’s always a safe and beautiful experience (the trek is difficult though and can be up to 8 hours through thick jungle) Now about D.R. Congo…. Shortly after my first solo travels there, Virunga National Park closed and remains closed due to armed conflict with rebel groups..: I still went to visit Goma several more times, and I truly love Congo, but I will be waiting with anticipation for the safety to increase, because the gorillas in DRC were my top favorite see! For more info on DRC or the other 150 countries I’ve traveled solo to, please check out my blog linked in bio! ———- Please follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for more extreme adventures with purpose 💖 #alyssaramostravels #mylifeisatravelmovie #mylifeisatravelmovie
7 days ago
793
View on Instagram |
4/9
I have a “bucketlist tattoo” that I add to when I complete a major bucketlist check! This one was a double check: seeing a wild Polar Bear and reaching my farthest latitude north (so far): 82 degrees North! For reference, the geographic North Pole is at 90 degrees North, so we were very close to it! Maybe one day I’ll reach it! There’s only one tattoo shop in Longyearbyen, therefore it’s officially the northernmost tattoo shop! And I also have tattoos from the Southernmost tattoo shop in Ushuaia for my 4 trips to Antarctica! Anyone else have cool tattoos? ——————- For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo female travelers in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
1 week ago
3
View on Instagram |
5/9
This is my 3rd year being an American living on a vineyard in Italy (married the owner!) and I def have a lot of tea/wine to spill about it 😂 People have this dreamy or glamorous “Emily in Rome”-esque idea about traveling to Italy, falling in love, preferably with someone who owns a vineyard, and living happily ever after…well I did that, and it can be a bit more “difficile vita” than “dolce vita” at times! Shall I give the full interview for the “real Netflix documentary about an American living in Italy”?? 😂
2 weeks ago
13
View on Instagram |
6/9
I’ve swam with Orcas, a crocodile, and my for-fun hobby is shark diving, but I draw the line at poisonous swimming snakes. 🙅‍♀️🐍 It really just came up to me like that when I was sitting on the beach on an island in New Caledonia! I had been contemplating going swimming with the turtles nearby, but changed my mind after I saw this! This was a “Blake-banded Sea Krait”, common to this area in the South Pacific Islands, I’ve heard several divers say they’ve seen them! But no thanks, I prefer sharks. 😂 Animal safety tip: as an experienced animal encounteress, i never ever suggest provoking or trying to “fight off” any dangerous animal that isn’t actively trying to attack you. Stay calm and still and let it pass like I did in this video. Then, feel free to run. (Jk I’d still suggest carefully and slowly backing a way, keeping an eye on it). What would you do if you saw a swimming snake?! —————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the very first travel “influencers” and now one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations (and animals). Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 weeks ago
17512
View on Instagram |
7/9
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!!

Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!)

I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁

The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island…

Check out my Shebara blog post for full details!

Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while..

You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too.

I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!)

I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!!

These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy?

One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget!

The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi!

One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide!

Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! 

An incredibly u
I’ve stayed at over 500 hotels in my 12 years of traveling to around 20 countries per year, here’s 20 that absolutely blew my mind and I cannot forget!! Swipe to see each caption for the name and location of these beauties (and some just bizarre!) I have a full list with links of the hotels here and ones I’ve posted about, linked on my bio! Please use those links if you book these places bc most don’t pay me to give this free publicity so the way I can monetize is using the links, it costs you nothing, and helps me a lot, thanks!! 😁😁😁 The currently viral @shebara resort in Saudi Arabia with UFO looking over-water bungalows! Costs around $2-4k per night and doesn’t include the transfer to get to the island… Check out my Shebara blog post for full details! Probably the most bizarre hotel I’ve ever stayed at is this one in Turkmenistan. It’s known as “the wedding hotel” bc it’s where most people have their receptions, but the ground floor wing behind me is open for tourists….except, I was the only one there and it seemed like it had been empty for a while.. You can’t book hotels on your own in Turkmenistan, you have to take a tour and have a letter of invitation. Full blog post with that info too. I’m scheduled to return to Turkmenistan in October and also next year with @mylifesatraveltribe (sold out though, join the waitlist!) I never would have guessed I’d end up living on a vineyard and recalling @pacheca.group The Wine House as inspo for a future rental project!! These wine barrel rooms are in Portugal. Who thinks I should try to build some on our vineyard in Sardinia Italy? One of the bougiest hotel experiences is at @anantaramaiaseychelles ! The villas are beautiful but it was the 24/7 butler service that I can’t forget! The Seychelles was my 100th country, and they brought me enough wine bottles to write out the number in my private jacuzzi! One of my all time favorites is @tulia_zanzibar 😻 it’s one of the most beautiful, thoughtfully designed, sustainable resorts I’ve experienced, AND it has a water slide! Scotland surprised me a lot with its incredible hotel options! Namely, all of the castles! There’s so many of them!!! An incredibly u
2 weeks ago
21717
View on Instagram |
8/9
Yes, that is a real, wild Crocodile. Yes, I swam with him (several times) Would you dare? This is Panchito the Crocodile, he lives alone in Casa Cenote which is close to Tulum. Crocs are not commonly found in cenotes (pronounced “seh-note-ay” and are deep fresh water reserves throughout the Yucatán peninsula ) and no one is really sure how he got there. Panchito is allegedly “friendly”, but it’s more like “unbothered until provoked”. Recently for the first time ever Panchito attacked a swimmer because some unintelligent people were throwing rocks at him to try to provoke a reaction for a video 😡 Even this last time when I was there, while I was freediving in the cenote, other tourists were loud and slashing at Panchito, causing him to interrupt his tanning session, jump into the water, and dive under the mangroves until the people were gone (I watched all of it and was honestly a bit scared when he came swimming towards me underwater). Anyway! If you want a unique wildlife experience, check out Casa Cenote but do not disturb Panchito!!! Or any wildlife! Animal karma is real! I live in Tulum half-time and have lots of posts and tips about it and also this cenote, all on my website along with tips for over 140 countries - MyLifesAMovie.com ————————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations and animals! My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path and to shatter negative stereotypes about “dangerous” destinations. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 weeks ago
10.6k173
View on Instagram |
9/9

Join My Group Trips

Available Group Trips

If you like Samoa Islands Key Travel Informationyou might also be interested in...

New Caledonia’s $200 Overwater Bungalow Private Island Resort

Easy Affordable Fiji Islands Travel Tips

Espiritu Santo: Vanuatu Islands Adventure Luxury Escape Guide

Solomon Islands Honiara 5 Day Adventure Itinerary

Extensive Palau (the Country) Travel Guide

I Traveled Solo to Papua New Guinea, and Yes, I Felt Safe.

Ultimate Papua New Guinea Travel Guide in 2025

15 Best Things to do in Batroun Lebanon (and Nearby!)

Ultimate Cairo Egypt Travel Guide in 2024

Stress-Free Santorini Travel Guide